1. Technical Field
The invention relates to electrical equipment and in particular to a protection device to provide physical protection to the porcelain insulators of electrical equipment such as transformers, capacitors, circuit breakers or the like, located in electrical substations to prevent chipping of the porcelain insulator caused by falling debris during maintenance work in the substations. More particularly, the invention relates to such a protection device which is formed of one or more flexible sheets of material, one of which is cone-shaped, which are secured around the insulator by fasteners attached to the sheet material.
2. Background Information
When providing electricity to the consuming public, the power is transmitted from generating plants to the customers via a network of transmission and distribution lines. In the process of this electrical transmission, there are a vast number of substations to step up or step down the voltage as needed.
While performing maintenance in the substations, such as repairing switches, painting or other various activities, there is a need to protect the porcelain bushings of transformers, circuit breakers, capacitors and the like from overhead debris. Falling debris such as paint, bolts, weld splatters and the like, can cause a costly repair or replacement of an insulator bushing. Currently, the only known means of protecting these insulators range from using packing foam which is taped to the insulator to the use of expensive protective dielectric rubber goods or rubber blankets used for "hot line" work, which rubber goods are wrapped about the insulators. Use of such dielectric rubber goods is extremely expensive since these rubber goods are designed for "hot line" applications and must be periodically checked for leaks and have a relatively short life span.
Therefore, the need has existed for a device which can be used for various sizes and shapes of electrical insulators of the type used on high voltage transformers, circuit breakers and the like, which can be installed easily about the insulator when the attached conductor is in a deenergized condition to provide physical protection thereto while work is being performed above the insulator in a substation or similar electrical equipment site. There is no known prior art device which provides such an inexpensive and readily used device for such applications.